A DRUG dealer and two other men who unwittingly supplied an undercover police officer with heroin and crack cocaine on 12 occasions early this year, have been jailed for a total of more than 10 years.

Shane Carter, 46, of Hawthorn Avenue, Hengoed, dealt the drugs from his home, with four others, including his 18-year-old daughter, involved in handing them to the officer, a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court was told.

Carter, who pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply class A drugs and a number of supply offences, faced a minimum sentence of seven years as this is his third drug trafficking conviction. But this was reduced to five years and three months by Judge Nicola Jones, taking into account his early guilty plea.

Carl Yemm, known as Carl Jones, 52, of Trosnant Crescent, Penybryn, near Gelligaer, who pleaded guilty to two charges of supplying a class A drug, was sentenced to three years in prison.

Damian Hall, 44, of Meadow Street, Abertillery, who also pleaded guilty to two charges of supplying a class A drug, was sentenced to two years in prison.

Carter's daughter Jade, 18, also of Hawthorn Avenue, Hengoed, and Francesca Butt, 39, of Walter Conway Avenue, Tredegar, pleaded guilty to one charge each of supplying a class A drug.

Carter, who Judge Jones said had likely been exposed to coercion by her father, was given 16-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months. Butt was given an 18-month prison sentence suspended for 10 months. Each woman must also complete a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Prosecutor Gareth James said undercover police work that eventually trapped the defendants was part of Operation Dynamic, run by Gwent Police, which sought to disrupt the supply of class A drugs in Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent.

Undercover officers posed as drug users to infiltrate the drug community. In this case, an officer with the alias 'Darren' obtained Shane Carter's mobile phone number from a user in he had befriended in Caerphilly.

'Darren' subsequently used it to arrange a deal with Carter, at the latter's home on January 3, Carter providing him with £20 worth of heroin.

Eleven similar deals followed - the last on February 27 - either at Carter's address or locations nearby, involving exchanges of heroin and/or crack cocaine for sums of £20-40.

Carter supplied drugs directly to the officer on several occasions. On others Jones, Hall, Jade Carter and Butt were involved.

During one exchange in the officer's car, Mr James said the supplier tasked by Carter with delivering the drugs - who was not identified - told the officer he had so many deals to do "I don't know who I'm supposed to be going to."

Carter and the others were arrested in June during raids across Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent involving scores of police officers.

Defence counsel Andrew Taylor told the court Shane Carter has been diagnosed with a serious, life-changing illness whilst in custody.

Mr Taylor said Carter is remorseful for his offending, which "lacked much of the sophistication and wide-ranging effects of a County Lines operation", and had not "required the skills of an Hercule Poirot" to uncover.

Defending Hall, Steve Thomas said drugs had "blighted" his client's life. He had no connection to the line of supply involving Shane Carter, but visited the latter's home to buy drugs, and was involved "as a result of exploitation".

Jones "deeply regrets his behaviour", said defence counsel Owen Williams, who added that Jones had been an addict for many years, though he also had substantial drug-free periods.

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